Two Birds, One Stone
by theambiguousyayo
Summary: After the war comes to a bittersweet end, the Crystal Gems are standing tall in the massive gravesite that Kindergarten has now become. Kindergarten's vacancy signifies the Earth's survival, and the gems take there leave of the wretched place. But...perhaps there may yet be life amongst the dark valley. Who's to say?


**Hello, Nikolai. I'm back from a very long, very dreaded writer's block coma. Also, I didn't have access to my laptop for the longest! But I won't waste your time with my unnecessary excuses! You want literature! And literature is what you shall have!**

 **Welcome to my first ever Steven Universe fanfic. I recently grew an enormous love for the series (it's good shit, and you clearly agree since you're here) and thought I ought to give this story a try.**

 **I must note, however, that while of course I have included actual characters, this story also has** ** _gemsonas_** **in it. A** ** _gemsona_** **is a fan-made gem. That means they've never actually been on the show! But I hope you'll give this fic a chance anyhow. :3**

 **No, I don't own Steven Universe, nor did I create it; that honor goes to Rebecca Sugar!**

 **A shoutout to my pal, Niles, for designing/drawing each of the** ** _gemsonas_** **within this story! You can check out their Instagram at** ** _dankestmemeroll_** **. I will also post a link of the appearances of each** ** _gemsona_** **as they come, just in case you'd like to see them.**

 **Okay, enough talk. Enjoy the read. I'll try to put out content once a week.**

There was a morbid chill in the air, and for the first time, Rose Quartz felt as cold as the lifeless, shattered gems that surrounded her feet. She wanted to cry for every gem that had died whether they fought for the Earth or not, but was well aware that for the first time, her tears could change nothing. Rose dispelled her shield and turned her eyes away from the gruesome sight.

"That's the last of them, Rose," said Pearl, knight and defender of her beloved commander. "Jasper and a few other gems escaped and surely returned to Homeworld. What is your command? If we leave now, we may be able to catch them—" The gem gazed upon Rose then, and although her leader's back was turned, Pearl was suddenly speechless at the aura of melancholy that emitted from her being.

"It should never have come to this, Pearl," Rose murmured sadly. "I wish the others could have seen why this planet should be allowed to live in peace with no activity of destruction from other-worldly entities. All life deserves to flourish, my dear knight. But life should never exist at the cost of that…of another."

Pearl's eyes fell to the gem shards strewn about the rocky terrain before her. She opened her lips to console Rose Quartz, but closed them again, still at a loss for words. Instead, she advanced towards the beautiful gem and grasped a hand between both of her own. She gazed into the eyes of Rose and spoke only with her silent stare. Sometimes, this would help to console Rose in her darker times. Being such an empathic gem, there weren't always a need for words with the pink entity. Rose Quartz lifted the corners of her lips ever so slightly. Though she was distraught, grateful to have Pearl at her side.

The sound of boot against gravel caught the attention of the two gems, and they both turned to find Garnet and Amethyst approaching them. They bowed respectfully to their captain, and in kindness, Rose returned the gesture to display her own sense of admiration for her fellow Crystal Gems.

"Sectors one through ninety-nine are vacant, Rose," Garnet reported. Her arms were tired with exhaustion. Such was the result of being a brawler. Inside, her mind ran amuck; Ruby and Sapphire held one another tightly to keep from falling apart from despair alone. Such ambience was thick in the air.

"Sectors one-hundred through one ninety-nine are clear." Amethyst's hair was frazzled, and the breeze blew back her bangs so that both eyes were visible. She felt queasy. Her birthplace was now a massive gravesite to her own kind. It wasn't a sight she ever felt the need to see.

Rose Quartz gathered herself and spoke."Good. Thank you, Crystal Gems. Now I have but a final wish." The gems nodded once, almost simultaneously. "We mustn't leave them here. Not like this. Even our former opponents deserve to be at peace. Gather the shards now, with me. We shall return many of them to Homeworld, though those that chose to fight for Earth may remain here. I believe it is what they all would have wanted."

Garnet smiled to herself. No being viewed life in the kind of light that Rose Quartz did. With the command, each of the Crystal Gems took time to retrieve every last fragment from the dried soil. When all was said and done, they took their leave, wordlessly. Their victory had saved the planet they had each come to love…for the time being.

As the hours passed, a crimson sun set over the great valley that was Kindergarten. And when the night fell, a storm came with it.

Thunder sounded and echoed against the immense mountainous walls. Lightening danced among the blackened clouds as though it had a mind of its own. The desolate land had no one to witness such an remarkable sight. Abruptly, the heavens summoned a great strike of heat into a pile of rubble! The lightening diminished the cluster of stones with ease. And then, astonishingly, a white hand emerged from the neglected rocky chamber.

The young gem pulled herself free from the confines and coughed as she gaged for fresh air. It had been a time since she had breathed the Earth's oxygen through her lungs, though of course, being a gem, she did not need it. It was simply a luxury much better than the confinements of a tight earthy cell.

When she caught her breath, she tried to recall what had happened. She could remember hearing the clashing of weaponry. There was shouting—no, she distinctly remembered the agonizing _wailing_ of countless individuals. They were surely in a tremendous amount of pain…though she struggled to know precisely what had happened.

The downpour matted the gem's white hair to her face. She parted the locks from her eyes and shuddered at the sudden sense of gloom that overcame her. Indeed, this had been a place of death, though she knew not how long ago. The force of this fact forced the air from her lungs. Her gag reflex triggered and she vomited nothing, for her stomach was empty. Tears formed in her eyes.

"Is anyone out there?!" she shouted. Only the roll of thunder answered her.

The gem closed her eyes briefly and scanned the area with her mind, but the cacophonous sound of thunder interrupted her concentration. She had expected to find hundreds if not thousands of corpses near, but the only thing she could see was the ongoing storm. She looked upon the clouds. They only poured and poured, as if answering her silent worry with ceaseless rain. The young gem's arms folded tightly around her torso. With nowhere to go but forward, she began her perilous journey out of Kindergarten.

She fought to maintain her balance. The winds often swept her off her feet. She was fragile, and felt very, very weak. Her eyes fell in and out of focus as she traveled against the gusts. She pushed with all her might, but with was taken aback when she was shoved into a wall by a powerful wind flurry.

She groaned and whispered to no one in particular, "I am weak from being entombed within that pit…and my head…ow…" She closed her eyes once more and focused. Perhaps seeking help was reasonable. She would surely lose her physical form if the storm kept handling her so mercilessly. If there was any life within a several mile radius, she would sense it. After a few moments, the entity's eyes snapped open. "There!" Her mindly abilities allowed her the location of another life form, somewhat nearby.

As she approached the site in which the existence was present, she exerted much of her energy by hastening to the scene. It was a gem's nest! Her eyebrows gathered; she was puzzled. Why would a gem still be in its burrow? Upon closer inspection, she realized this gem was in fact an inactive one. "What on earth?" she murmured aloud. How could it be idle? Perhaps the injector was defective when planting it?

She took cautious steps towards the gem, as though it would abruptly spring to life. It did no such thing, so she observed it more closely. There was a black gem upon its forehead; the entity saw her own reflection in its gleam. Its skin was almost as dark the gem, though its hair was a mixture of greys and black. The locks were tucked neatly behind its ears, though a few strands were out of place. Its lips were pink and its cheeks were flushed. The white gem placed her fingers beneath the black gem's chin. It's skin was as cold as ice. "Oh no!" she gasped. The gem would surely die soon without nourishment. All earth born gems were incubators, so the young entity realized that the dying gem would need one thing only if it were to survive: Earthly life.

Kindergarten was a land that was quite lacking in foliage, and the young gem knew that she was short on time if she wanted to save her kin. She was weak, but she could use her power to sense any life (and therefore greenery) within a notable distance. She mustered her strength and gathered the dying gem onto her back. The storm was an undesired obstacle, but she would never turn her back on another gem!

For hours, she wandered, with the weight of another on her back. She felt more and more fatigued with every step, and yet she persevered. Eventually, she would reach a thicket. The young gem felt her muscles beginning to give in. She collapsed to the ground and shivered violently.

"No," she murmured into the grass. Her hands clutched at the soil and dirtied beneath her fingernails. She struggled to keep her eyes open, and eventually her body would surrender to the desire to slip into unconsciousness. She retracted into her gem then, in a small flash of light. The storm only buried her in its frustration.

—

Okeh. I hope that you found potential in the chap. I hope to hear from you! Read and review, please. How else will I know if this is any good? Flames only make me stronger in my writing ability, so don't worry—I can take it. Have a good one, yeah?

-theambiguousyayo


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